The Blind School
by BobWhite
Summary: A family that takes care of blind children and orphans moves to Colorado Springs. How does the town feel about them? And will they allow a Blind School to be built? R&R 2 find out more. Full Summary inside.
1. Braya & The Children

**Full Summary:**

Braya Robertson hasn't always been blind. She was born a seeing person. When she was ten, she was hit in the head by a horse hoof and from thenceforth she has been blind. She married her seeing husband when she was eighteen and has three children by him. Moving from Michigan to Colorado Springs because the townspeople burned their school, Braya and her family hope to open a blind school in the community. What will happen when the rest of the town find out that not only will blind white children be accepted at the school, but also blind Indian and black children as well? Will they do the same thing their old town did and send them packing? Or will Braya and the kids finally stand the ground that was meant for them to stand?

**Braya & The Children:**

**Mrs. Braya Robertson:** Blinded at the age of ten, Braya has become a light of hope to many blind and orphaned children over the years, married to Blaine Robertson, she has birthed two sighted children and one blind child. She also loves to sing and has passed the gift to the children she cares for. She became a teacher when she was sixteen.

**Mr. Blaine Robertson:** Never been blind in his life, he was attracted to Braya for her belief that all children, whether blind or not, white or not, should all be treated the same way and get the same education. He has a knack for carving elegant sculptures and selling them at a reasonable price.

**Ms. Erran Johnson:** Mother to Braya, she moved in with Braya and her husband to help with the raising of her grandchildren. She also is a teacher and helped Braya get her teaching degree. She teaches the blind and seeing with the same patience that she taught Braya with.

**McKenzie Robertson:** The ten-year-old daughter of Braya and Blaine; wants to become a teacher like her mother and grandmother.

**Anishi Robertson:** The six-year-old daughter of Braya and Blaine; likes to sing like her mother; wants to become a wood carver like her father.

**Kerry Robertson:** The three-year-old blind daughter of Braya and Blaine.

**Corrine Atkinson:** A sixteen-year-old black orphan, sister of Anika and wants to become a teacher; the oldest girl at the Blind School.

**Anika Atkinson:** A ten-year-old black blind orphan, sister of Corrine and loves to play the fiddle.

**Mylene Robic:** A fourteen-year-old blind girl whose parents abandoned her; wants to become a teacher.

**Adachi Black Sun:** A fourteen-year-old Cherokee boy orphaned after the massacre of his village; thankful to the Robertson's for taking him in.

**Rainbow Feather:** A twelve-year-old Lakota Sioux boy who was blinded by a gunshot to the head; thankful to the Robertson's for taking him in.

**Little Eagle:** A ten-year-old Lenape boy who was born blind and taken in by the Robertson's after the massacre of his village; thinks of Mrs. Braya as his mother.

**Snow Bird:** A ten-year-old Pawnee girl who was born blind and taken in by the Robertson's; loves to sing.

**Mikita Millington:** A ten-year-old girl who was orphaned and blinded by the fire that burned the first Blind School.

**Leilani Riggins:** An eight-year-old black girl who was orphaned when she was a baby and taken in by the Robertson's when she was six; loves to sing and dance.

**Nyree Makemba:** An eight-year-old black girl who was born blind and abandoned when her parents couldn't afford to take care of her; twin sister of Zola.

**Zola Makemba:** An eight-year-old black girl abandoned by her parents; twin sister of Nyree.

**Seymour Jackson:** An eight-year-old boy who was blinded by his father after he threw boiling water into his face.

**Max Cybulski:** A seven-year-old boy blinded after hitting his head when he was three on a rock.

**Durand Waldeck:** A seven-year-old boy abandoned by his parents when he was only three-years-old.

**Rylan Staite:** A seven-year-old black boy born blind and nearly killed in the fire that burned the first Blind School.

**Jasika McKidd:** A six-year-old black girl born blind and left on the steps of the orphanage in her home town, then taken in by the Robertson's when she was two.

**Alisha Carter:** A six-year-old orphan girl born blind and nearly killed in the fire that burned the first Blind School; twin sister of Ashby.

**Ashby Carter:** A six-year-old orphan girl who lives with her sister at the Blind School; twin sister of Alisha.

**Naoko Clairmont:** A five-year-old black boy blinded by his father who shot him in a drunken rage when he was only two.

**Feyzah Lo-Chiang: ** A five-year-old Chinese orphan girl who lives with her sister at the Blind school; sister of Zia.

**Sullivan Nickolas:** A five-year-old black boy orphaned by his parents after they learned he had epilepsy.

**Malika Rainbow Feather:** A four-year-old Comanche girl orphaned after the massacre of her village.

**Zia Lo-Chiang:** A four-year-old Chinese orphan girl blinded after a tornado destroyed her parents home; sister of Feyzah.

**Sayda Xiang:** A four-year-old Chinese orphan girl blinded during a cave-in which killed her mother and father.

**Amishka McLaury:** A four-year-old orphan who was blinded during the fire of the first Blind School.


	2. Colorado Springs

**Colorado Springs:**

**Arriving:**

The wagons were loaded to the brim with not only building supplies but also children who were both blind and to young to drive the wagons. Those that were old enough and could see, drove the wagons into town. Most of the wagons were attached to a front wagon. Those wagons that had a front wagon were full of building supplies and the front wagons had kids and trunks in them. All together, there were four wagons, three of which had wagons attached to the back of them.

Braya was sitting next to her husband Blaine, while her mother was driving one of the wagons. Corrine and Adachi were driving the two other wagons. When the four wagons came to a stop next to the General Store, Braya, her husband and mother got down from the wagons and went inside to buy some food supplies. Braya and her mother went to look at some clothing for not only themselves but also the children as well. All needed new clothes if they were to stay within the town.

Blaine noticed that the Reverend was sitting in one corner of the store and also noticed those around him, staring at the three that had just arrived. It was a woman with the long red hair that spoke up first.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Quinn. Are you new to this territory?"

"Yes, my wife, mother-in-law and the children we tend have come to start over. We just need to buy some supplies to get started and most of the children need new clothes. My mother-in-law will let you know the sizes. Do you happen to have a dress maker in town?" _Blaine asked._

"We did, but she went to help Gilda St. Claire on her tour. She now makes dresses for Ms. St. Claire. Perhaps there is something else we can help you with. Um, what property have you bought?" _The man that looked like a barber spoke up._

"They told us in Denver that nobody had bought the land we did. But we were also told that it was somewhere near the Quinn residence."

"Oh, well, I would be happy to show you then, after I'm done seeing to my patients that is."

"That would be most kind. My wife, Braya, was wondering if she could talk to the Reverend or Mayor. There is a matter of great importance to us that she wishes to talk to them about." _Blaine ended as Braya and her mother walked up with some groceries._

"Well, we'll have to help the Reverend over to the Church, but Jake here could probably talk to you now. We're all on the Town Council so we'd all be hearing about it sooner or later." _The old storekeeper finished._

"That's lovely, but why would you have to help the Reverend? Isn't he capable of walking over to the Church by himself?" _Braya asked._

"Not to be rude or anything, but can't you see that the Reverend is blind?"

"As a matter of fact, I can't see. I was blinded in an accident when I was ten-years-old. Haven't been able to see since, but that doesn't stop me from taking life into my own hands, or so the saying goes."

"Well, if you need to speak with us, here's a good enough spot as any."

"Alright, I was wondering if there was a spot anywhere in town where we could build a blind school. You see that's what me and my mother do. We teach blind children to read, write and just basically everything else a normal child is taught."

"Well, next to our school house will be just fine. Dr. Mike's sister was saying that the Reverend ought to learn to read in brail and what not."

"Well thank you, but who is Dr. Mike?"

"That's me, Dr. Quinn; people call me Dr. Mike for short. And I've quite gotten used to it."

"Oh, of course. Would you like to meet the children?"

"Sure, why not. But you might want to pay for your supplies first."

"Blaine can deal with our supplies. Come on mother, the children will want to get out and stretch their legs now that we have stopped in town."

Braya and Erran walked out of the store and to the back of the wagons. Corrine and Adachi were waiting with the younger kids. A group of townsfolk had gathered around the wagons and were staring at all the kids. Jake Slicker, the Mayor, noticed right away that almost all of the kids were either Indian or black children. He was about to speak up when Braya spoke up.

"Of course, almost all of our children are blind. Some of those who aren't blind live with siblings who are blind and so have chosen to stay with their siblings and learn to live just like any other child. The Indian children that are blind were allowed off their perspective Reservations by the military when they learned that they were blind and could 'do them no harm'. We of course take in any child, blind or not, white or not and teach them what everyone deserves to learn at any point in their life. If that is not to your liking Mayor, we will be on our way. I felt that you were about to say something negative and decided it was best to speak up. However, some of the children have just recently become blind due to the fact that the last town we were in burned our Blind School to the ground with children still inside. I do hope that none of your townspeople will hurt us in that way and that you are more generous then the previous town and that we may get along."

"Of course, the blind school will need to be a few yards from our schoolhouse but it should be okay. And maybe you should get the kids looked at by Dr. Mike while you are in town. And Blaine can look at the site now if that is alright to you."

"Of course, my daughter tends to speak her mind when she feels someone trying to say something negative towards the children. Of course, not only will we be teaching our children, but we also extend the learning to any children not in school and by the looks of it, that would be any and all children that are living in your shanty town over the bridge near the livery. Is that alright with you Mayor?"

"Sure, just as long as there are no fights, then I don't see a problem with that."

"Don't you mean just as long as they aren't in your schoolhouse? That is what you meant isn't it Mayor?" _Braya asked as she walked over to Ashby and Alisha as the two had begun to fight again. The six-year-olds were always fighting over something, being sisters and all. It was as if one of them wasn't blind at all._

"Most of the children who are blind, weren't born blind. A few of them came to us after either there parents abandoned them or were the ones that injured them. Some of them were born blind like my youngest daughter, Kerry. Her sisters love taking care of her, being as young as she is, but they will learn to become independent if we don't have to move again."

"Will you be living in the Blind School or building your own homestead?" _an unknown man asked._

"And who might you be sir?" _Blaine asked._

"The name is Sully. I'm Dr. Quinn's husband. If you want, I'd be willing to help you build your school and your homestead."

"That would be wonderful Mr. Sully. I am Braya, and these two here are Ashby and Alisha, they were orphaned when they were born after there parents learned that Alisha was blind. Most of the kids have personalities of there own and have been building even after they became blind, but we would love any help we can get. And we'll pay whatever you ask once the jobs are done."

"Thanks; let me help you out to your land and then we can work out the rest of the details once we get there."

"Thank you Mr. Sully."

"You can just call me Sully, everyone does."

"Alright, Sully, will you help us get the kids back into the wagons and we'll be on our way."

"Aww, do we have to?" _Jasika asked._

"Yea, we want to walk. If you tie the rope to the back wagon, we promise to hold on until the wagon stops, like we did when we were on the trail. Please?"

"Fine, but the younger kids will ride in the wagon. McKenzie, get the rope and we'll tie it to the back of the wagon. And then the children can walk. Corrine, help your sister into the wagon please."

We helped the younger of the kids into the wagon and McKenzie tied the rope to the back of the wagon that Corrine would be driving. Once all of the kids that were walking were holding tight to the rope, we loaded up the rest of the kids and then got back into the wagons ourselves and followed Sully out of town and towards our new homestead. We knew that we were going to have to have a lot of patience with the townspeople but also knew that they would need to get to know us better in order for any of this to work.

**Robertson Homestead & Land:**

Once at the homestead, which was only a one story cabin for now, we stopped the wagons and made sure the kids were okay. Braya and I got down from our wagon while Erran, Corrine and Adachi got down from there wagons and helped the younger kids down from the wagons. Corrine and McKenzie helped the kids who were walking over towards the barn that had been standing. Benches were brought out and the children sat down on them. Until the school was built, we would be teaching the children in the meadow, which is what we did when we were on the trail.

Sully tied his horse to the post of the house and turned towards us. Braya and Erran were busy getting food out of the back of the wagon and taking it over to the kids. For being blind, Braya was very independent and knew her limitations. She seemed to be extra careful now, and as Blaine watched, set the trunk down and made sure he was watching before touching her belly. And he knew that she was pregnant again. He smiled to himself and then turned back towards Sully who was moving through the house, making sure it was safe for them.

When he came back out, Blaine walked towards him. They spoke for a few minutes before Sully told them that he would be back in the morning. The children we would let sleep in the living room for now. We would put all essential things in the living room as well and make sure the wagons were secure before putting the horses inside the barn for the night. Sully left and they all got to work. Erran and Blaine got everything they needed for the night out of the wagons and moved the stuff into the back bedroom, where the three adults would sleep. All the sleeping rolls were in the living room and the food that would be used for the next few days was in the kitchen area.

They moved in and out of the cabin, securing the wagons inside the corral, putting the horses in the barn and making sure that if a storm occurred during the night, the wagon covers wouldn't blow off. Once everything was done outside, they moved back inside to make the cabin as livable as possible for the time being. With the blind school being built a few yards away from the schoolhouse, they needed to make up some plans. They also needed to make up some plans for the homestead that they would be living in.


End file.
